Facilities and Location

Camp will be held at Godspeed Hostel in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, which is just outside State College, PA and about a half hour from Altoona. The facility features a 20-person bunkhouse, 13 private rooms, and large event space that we’ll be using for meals and in the case of rain. A creek runs along the property and it’s just really nice back there, a perfect place for sitting and either writing or pretending to write. It’s lovely.

The beautiful surroundings matched with an incredibly laid-back group allowed for a no pressure atmosphere. Optional scheduled outings were a nice time to spend together getting to hang out with other writers. The camp itself—Godspeed Hostel—was the perfect location with the best owners I’ve ever met. I left feeling energized and with substantial ideas from meeting with an editor on my work. All in all: a great success. 

— Marissa Schwalm, summer 2016

Private Rooms:

Rooms include a queen bed with futon couch and small table. They have electricity and heat, but no bathrooms or showers. Cell reception is fine, but internet is kind of spotty and works best when you're closest to the office (in the header photo above, from right to left: private rooms, bunkhouse, bathroom and shower facility, office, large event space).

Rooms can be single- or shared-occupancy. If you're sharing a room, please include the name of your roommate on your application.

Pictured from left to right: private room view from the bed, view from the door, view of private rooms from the bunkhouse.

Bunkhouses

There is one large bunkhouse with two sections, each with five sets of full-sized bunk beds (writer math: the entire bunkhouse holds 20 people, 10 in each section). The bunks are comfortable, and this is where the Barrelhouse editors will be staying, as well as many campers. Bunkhouses are co-ed, but only feet away from the bathrooms and showers, making changing clothes in private easy to do. The bunkhouses are connected by a small common area with a futon. The entire bunkhouse facility is heated and air conditioned.

Bathroom and Showers:

Bathroom and shower buildings are located a short walk from the sleeping areas and include private bathrooms and showers. There are four bathrooms and four showers, and this seems like the right ratio of people to bathroom/showers -- we haven't had any issues. Pictured from left: private bathroom (in bathroom facility), private shower (in shower facility), layout of the grounds with private rooms almost not visible in the very back, bunkhouse in between, then bathroom and shower facilities.